


Virian Willows

by Bonnerin0



Category: Original Work
Genre: Absent Parents, Multi, Neglect, Original Characters - Freeform, Original work - Freeform, Tags Will Update As Story Progresses, Thieving tentacles, but its justified thieving
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2019-07-29 05:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16257716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bonnerin0/pseuds/Bonnerin0
Summary: Virian Willows is a town like any other. It cycles through (Most) of the four seasons, and it's people are generally welcoming.At least, that's how it looks on the surface.All of the people of this town have something special or odd about them, without it be powers or just an unnatural loving for toast.This story isn't about that guy though, it's about Aridian, a high school that is almost definitely a prison, and the message that more often than not, things will work out for you.





	1. Parental Absence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jade413](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jade413/gifts).



> Oh boy here we go-  
> School is likely going to interfere with updating times, so I doubt this will be updated frequently.  
> Anyhow, this is just me figuring out a plot for my webcomic. Like the manga before the anime adaptation.  
> Both will be just as hectic as the other.
> 
> Anyway, Enjoy!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read this before, you'll notice that the beginning/Ari's mom's origin has changed slightly. I made a change to his backstory in chapter two and it made things work a bit better.

03-30-X3

It was a day like any other, the golden sun was perched in the pale blue sky, and the soft March breeze rustled the newly grown March leaves that hung from the numerous birch trees. Of course, there were births and deaths on this day like usual, with the most notable being Aridian Malteze. On the surface, he seemed like any other baby, and for about a solid week he was! But his mother simply could not stick around for long, and his father’s feelings did not mirror hers. He wasn’t even in the same town during the delivery. Why this was the way he felt was unknown, but guesses could be made. Perhaps it was because Ari’s skin was chestnut, while his own was porcelain. Or maybe because he had no use for a son, at the moment. Whatever the reason, it was keeping him away on this ordinary, yet incredible day. The soft, whimpering cries that escaped him echoed in the noticeably white hospital room, followed by a tired groan from his mother. She hated the fact that she couldn’t stay with her baby for long, so she figured she’d take care of him while she could. Despite her distaste for her situation, she still picked up the little purple bundle and fed him like a mother normally would. She loathed the biting, even though the little bugger lacked teeth.

Days passed, and eventually, she was permitted to leave the hospital on her own. She seemed relieved about this new development. Ari’s mother hurried home, through the quiet leaf-covered streets of the seaside town. Its unkempt lawn was surrounded by a seven-foot-tall steel fence that intimidated the children who lived on the nearby streets. She unlocked the gate via a remote inside her car and drove up to the long winding driveway until she reached the building itself. She drove to a dark brooding mansion that seemed to know no colors other than black and violet and stopped in the secondary driveway where two other black cars were parked. No one was home, those were just other cars she owned. She carried the car seat containing her little bundle into the mansion and promptly set her son down on the leather couch to rest her arms and back. She cast a forlorn glance at the sleeping bundle of purple, and silently wished that she had more time to be with him. This would become a new tradition of hers; wishing that she could change the past and grow more powerful before she had a child that would drain so much of it from her. But, as you and I know, the past cannot be changed. No matter how long we dwell on it. 

A soft sigh breezed past her lips as she stood up. Emelda didn’t have much time left. She was a minor deity in the realm that lay hidden from ours. Where the shadows cut deeper and the light more scarce. Her power was waning, and if she stayed any longer she wouldn't have enough power to remain here. she would be dragged home, and to her, that was no place to raise a human baby. She had no choice in the matter though. And soon her hand began to flake away like dried mud. With her stable arm, she leaned down and kissed the forehead of her baby boy, not stopping to realize the teardrop that fell on his head. 

” Be a good boy for momma, okay Aridian? I’ll return to you as soon as I am able…” She whispered to the sleeping baby as the rest of her flaked away to her home dimension. 

The little boy in question was now making quite a fuss, sobbing to gain some kind of nutrition that babies his age were supposed to be getting. 

Alas, it was seemingly in vain at the moment with no one rushing to his side to feed him. The crying continued until the sun noticeably changed places in the crystal clear sky. At that point he was starting to exhaust himself, and was starting to drift off as horrible as that would be for him at this moment.

Due to his increasing exhaustion, he didn’t notice the large snake-like appendage worming its way over to his car seat over the plum colored carpet, leaving black ooze in its wake. It slid up the side of the car seat, and just sat there looking at the sleeping Aridian. It somehow seemed to grasp what he needed, and slipped away. It was shortly replaced by a smaller one, that shook the seat until Aridian was snapped awake and was thrown back into a crying fit. It unbuckled the seat with some difficulty, and curled around him before gently rocking him back and forth gently, and occasionally just shaking him to keep him soothed, but not asleep.

While this was happening, Tentacle A had slipped away and into a different, much smaller house down the street. They too had a baby, but were much more accepting of the responsibility. It searched around the cupboards, tracking goo everywhere in the process while searching for something. There! It finally came across what it needed, a tub of baby formula that had everything Ari needed. Next, with the newly pilfered formula in its octopus-like suckers, it looked for formula. This was much less easy to get to, since it was in the diaper bag. Located on the dining room table. This room was connected to the living room, where the family was currently enjoying a nice wholesome movie night. Still, Tentacle A was determined, and sought after the bottle anyhow. It left the formula on the counter as it followed the shadows. Purposefully blending in to the dark tones. It snagged the object of its desire seconds before the mom picked up the bag, and climbed up the stairs to her nursery. If it could sigh due to relief, it would. With its new items wrapped tightly in itself, with the suckers attached for extra grip, it snaked all the way back to the mansion on the hill. 

The cycle of being shaken and rocked was irritating. Especially to little Ari who was now both starving and exhausted, his cries echoing through the vacant mansion. Not long after he started his most recent tantrum did Tentacle A return. It mindlessly prepared a bottle for the little one, and slithered over before holding it up for Ari. Stunningly, this worked! Ari’s tiny, barely functional hands held the purple ring that screwed onto the clear chamber filled with milk as he slowly drained the bottle, eventually falling asleep with every drop consumed.

x

03-29-X9

A young boy sits on his window seat, 

staring down across the lawn, over the imposing steel fence and the distant street, occasionally to see the mailman walk up to the bars and deliver yet another useless letter or package. He’s got a whole pile of those now, though he read somewhere that it’s illegal for him to open them without Mother there. Mother isn’t here, of course.

Aridian hops down from the lavender cushion and stretches. Maybe he should make lunch, or look somewhere on how to make a cake. Something tells him he’s ready for the task himself. A, B, and C have done it for him with his past eleven birthdays. This year, he feels, will be different.  And different indeed, though certainly not in the way he expects. This point is solidified by the strange knocking on the front door. He barely heard this, since he was on the second floor, but B had no problem getting it. The scream heard from the poor mailman was something Ari definitely heard though, along with a solid crunch.

Ari didn’t want to think about what made that crunch. So he ignored it and bounded down the stairs, before gently taking the lavender envelope in B’s suckers. After brief examination, he found it was addressed to him. To him of all people!! It came from a nearby school, one that only the brightest of teens got into; Virian Willows Academy. Where children 11 and up went to hone their ability given to them at birth. First, they needed to discover it though, which is another thing the prestigious school aided them with.

And he had just gotten his letter of acceptance, though he never applied in the first place.


	2. Not my Garden; Not my Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ari runs into a potential friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WH E w  
> This took forever! So much longer than I had originally planned. Good news is, I'm on Summer Break now so I should be able to write much more frequently!

Not my Garden; Not my Flowers

 

Aridian had never been outside. Well, he had so that he could play in his backyard, but that was nothing compared to leaving the only home he’d ever known to go to a completely different location. With different people and different ways of doing things. His hands gently gripped the sweater he was folding, a blank gaze in his violet eyes. What would the other children be like? Not that he cared all that much, he was never too fond of people. The curiosity of the unknown was what lead him to this vaguely anxious state. A gave him a firm pat on the shoulder to shake him out of his funk, which he quietly thanked them for before tucking the sweater away in his suitcase.   
Ari turned to the large painting on the wall. He didn’t recognize the woman captured in oil paints and brushstrokes, but he couldn’t deny their resemblance. Her hair cascaded down her back and ended at her hips, and was adorned with gold rings and purple beads. Her soft, chestnut eyes held a certain warmth gained only through motherhood, and her milk chocolate skin had swirls and whorls of ink that matched his own. It looked like a Kraken was fighting with itself over space on her arms and neck, yet her fair, angled face had no blemishes. She seemed like a fairly muscular woman, aside from the gentle curve of her pregnant belly. 

He could only theorize who she was.

His gaze turned back to his suitcase, being violet in color with a little orange handle and wheels. It was the only suitcase he owned, but it held all of his belongings just fine. He had packed some extra clothes, as well as his favorite books for the train ride there, which was an estimated two to three hours. His stomach turned at the thought of being so far away from home. A part of him believed he hadn’t gotten accepted at all and some random kid down the street was messing with him. Making him so excited for nothing.

With his bag all packed and his letter tucked away in his coat pocket, Ari was finally ready to head out. He threw his mop of coily black hair into a ponytail and sighed as it poofed out behind the ponytail like a cloud. B patted him on the head, earning a giggle from the little boy.   
“Rglbj tiy V! Un ayew U qukk vw ijlt,” Ari replied before giving B a gentle pat. B seemed to curl up shyly at the gesture of affection.   
Ari grabbed the orange handle of his suitcase and flipped up the hood of his black coat. With a small wave to the familiar, yet vacant halls of his mansion. A small hum filled the air as he walked down the long, winding driveway. The thudding of his rubber soles adding an odd beat to his little tune. Auburn leaves drifted down around him, crunching under his feet when they hit the ground. The train station eventually crept into view, just in time for the intercom to call for those boarding train 6A, bound for Virian Willows Academy.   
Reaching into his coat pocket, Ari took out his acceptance letter and looked at the train he should board. 6A. His train was 6A! Shoving the letter into his pocket haphazardly, he grabbed his suitcase handle before running to the platform. He had to shove through a bit of a crowd to get there, earning a few angry glares, but he could care less about that right now. If he didn’t get there soon the train was going to leave without him!   
Panting and out of breath, Ari arrived at the platform. There was a tall woman taking envelopes from parents who were escorting their children aboard, so he slipped into line behind two women with their little pale son. The one with long, dark hair and equally fair skin handed the woman her envelope, before leaning down and giving her son a goodbye hug. 

“Be good, Kyle. Stay out of trouble, and if you get hungry be sure to tell a teacher or grab one of your juice boxes.” The woman still standing told her little boy. She had chocolate brown skin, and fangs that threatened to pierce her plump, black lips. She must love her lipstick...  
“I will, momma! Don’t worry-” Kyle chirped as he tugged his second mom down to give her a kiss, before bounding onto the train. The two mothers left, so Ari moved up and gave the woman his envelope.  
Her hand took the envelope and looked it over before glancing down at the little boy, who was rocking on his heels patiently.   
“Clear, you can go.” She said curtly as she gestured to the inside of the train car.   
“Rglbj tiu!” He burbled as he walked onto the train car and took a seat on the velvet booth with his little suitcase. He’d never seen such a well-adorned room in his life, and he lived in a mansion! The rim around the window was a beautiful gold, with carvings of leaves and olive trees on the corners. He reverently ran the pads of his fingers over the solid surface, drinking in the feel of the wood with his touch.   
“Hi,” He heard from directly beside him, causing him to snap out of his daze and whirl around to face the source of the high-pitched greeting. “I’m Nanako Hanamura! Can I sit by you?” The stranger, apparently named Nanako, had a smile as radiant and warm as the sun, with a pudgy figure and rosy cheeks. Her cloudlike hair billowed out behind her and was tinted a soft pink. Ari didn’t know how to respond to her question, though. Partly because he had no idea what she was saying to him. He hesitantly nodded his head and moved his beloved suitcase to the floor beneath his feet.  
“Great! I can’t wait to be your friend!” Nanako stuck her hand out for him, her wide forest-green eyes staring at him intently. Did she want him to do something? If so, what was it? Did people just hold their hands out often? Aridian didn’t know, so he just handed her a few coins that he had stashed in his coat pocket. Causing Nanako’s face to twist in confusion.

“Uh...Thank you? But I’m not sure you should be giving money to strangers.” She chided while he proceeded to block her out. Her voice was starting to wear on his ears, that had never been exposed to such a great amount of noise before. The girl with cotton candy hair settled down next to him, kicking her feet idly while she hummed some miscellaneous tune. It certainly wasn’t one he recognized, but in all fairness, he didn’t know many songs in the first place.   
Over the two and a half hour long train ride, Nanako made many more attempts to converse with him. All of which ended in failure. He wished he had some sort of noise canceling device. Had those been invented yet? Gosh, he hoped so! The girl seemed so nice but he had so little patience at the moment. He had told her to shut up twice, and yet she kept talking!  
“Pj zt Fis, okwlaw hyar agyr yo!” Ari was really starting to get annoyed now, and to Nanako’s credit, she noticed how distressed he appeared to be. She didn’t notice that she should leave him to his own devices, though.   
“Are you okay, 친구? You seem upset? Do you want me to get one of the grown-ups? That’s what my 엄마 told me to do-” Instead of being given a “yes, please do” or just “yeah” she received a push from a tentacle that definitely wasn’t there thirty seconds ago. She hit the carpeted floor with a soft thud, with the following sound being a whimper as tears started to prick at her eyes. The worst part? That boy didn’t even care! He just curled up even further towards the wall and mumbled something to himself. The little Hanamura got to her feet and wiped her eyes furiously on her sleeve.   
“M’ sorry for bugging you then…” She sniffled, before grabbing her simply adorable pink bag and making her way down the aisle of the train car. Upon glancing up, he found that she had found a new seat beside the boy with two moms. Odd, how that’s the only detail he could recall. Ari turned his gaze back to his lap once the other boy, Kyle was it, scooted over for Nanako. Fine, whatever. He didn’t need a seat partner anyway.   
Ari felt his scowl melt slightly as a small tentacle came to life from the mahogany wall, and curled itself around the little boy’s hand. He giggled quietly as its suckers attached themselves to the back of his hand; it felt nice in a way that no one else would understand. He got these instead of kisses, most- no- all days.   
He wished he had a mom… or any human parent really. That doesn’t mean he didn’t love his less than human parents any less though! Besides, he had the perk of being able to take his parents anywhere. Take that, people with stable family structures!

Now that he looks back on it that really isn’t something to brag about. Like, at all. Oh well. 

Ari slumped against the beautiful if uncomfortable, decoration around the window with a slight sigh. This was exhausting. Whatever “this” was specifically was beyond him; all he knew was that it had worn him out. His biological clock decided that yes, it was nap time right now. Which he didn’t have any qualms about, seeing as he had another hour or so left to kill before he arrived. The little boy barely registered the feeling of a tentacle rising from the seat, and cradling him in itself like how a true mother would hold her baby.   
He mumbled a soft “Rglbj tiy…” before letting sleep take hold of him.


End file.
